US970534A

US970534A - Fire-escape.

Info

Publication number: US970534A
Application number: US52923209A
Authority: US
Inventors: Charles B Mckinney
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1909-11-22
Filing date: 1909-11-22
Publication date: 1910-09-20
Anticipated expiration: 1927-09-20

Description

c., B. MGKINNBY. FIRE ESCAPE APPLICATION FILED NOV. 22, 1909.

Patented 861113.20, 1910.

MQ.. i W.

'E/g W CHARLES B. MCKINNEY, OF BOURBON, INDIANA.

FIRE-ESCAPE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed November 22, 1909.

Patented Sept. 20, 1910. Serial No. 529,232.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES B. MCKIN- NEY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Bourbon, in the county of Marshall and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fire-Escapes; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to improvements in fire escapes.

The object of the invention is to provide a simple and improved construction of fire escape by means of which a person may lower himself from a window and having means to control the speed of the descent.

With the foregoing and other objects in View, the invention consists of certain novel features of construction, combination and arrangements of parts, as will be more fully described and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a perspective View of a portion of the side of a building and a window showing the application of t-he invention; Fig. 2 is a side View of the device; Fig. 3 is a bottom plan View of the holding bar of the swing or carriage showing the arrangement of the brake or controlling lever.

In the embodiment of the invention, I provide a holding bar l which forms part of the carriage of the fire escape and from which is suspended preferably by means of flexible cables 2, a seat board 3. The outer ends of the holding bar l are preferably shaped to form handles or grips 4, which are adapted to be grasped by the person sitting on the seat 3.

Secured at one end to the holding bar 1 preferably near the lefthand end of the bar is a descending cable 5. The cable 5 passes around a guide pulley 6 secured to a supporting bar 7, which is secured to the side of the building or to the window frame in any suitable manner, said bar being preferably hinged or pivotally connected to the inner or outer side of the window frame, whereby the bar may be readily swung inwardly or outwardly to operative and inoperative position. The descending cable 5 after passing through the pulley 6 extends downwardly through a guide passage 8 in the holding bar and through a similar passage 9 in the seat. The cable after passing through the passage 9 in the seat extends downwardly and forms a loop and then upwardly and has its end connected to the under side of the seat in any suitable manner. The cable 5 is of sufficient length to reach from the window or exit from the building to the ground and back up to the window.

Pivotally connected to the under side of the holding bar 1 in any suitable manner and near the cable passage 8 therein is a brake or controlling lever l0. In the edge of the lever 10 adjacent to the cable 5 is formed a V-shaped notch 11. The outer end of the lever l0 extends to the end of the holding bar 1 and when the lever is in operative position said end is adapted to be grasped or gripped with the handle end of the holding bar. Vhen the lever is thus gripped the notched portion of the same may he forced with greater or less pressure into engageineut with the cable 5 at the point where the same leaves the passage S in the holding bar thus controlling the speed at which the cable passes through the bar and thus regulating the descent of the bar and seat.

While the fire escape is herein shown and described as being' provided with a seat 3 connected with the holding bar l, it is obvious that the seat may be dispensed with and a person descending may support himself by grasping the ends of the holding bar and hanging therefrom From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, the construction and operation of the invention will be readily understood without requiring a more extended explanation.

Various changes in the form, proportion and the minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the piinciple or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention, as defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

l. In a fire escape of the character dcscribed, a holding bar, handles formed 011 the outer end of said bar, a seat supporting cable connected with said bar, a seat secured to the lower end of said cable, a supporting bar hingedly connected to a suitable support whereby said bar is swung into and out of inoperative position, a guide pulley secured to said bar, a descending cable connected at one end to said holding bar and adapted to be passed through said pulley and through said holding bar and seat, said cable extending downwardly to the ground and back up to said seat to which the end of the cable is secured, a controlling lever pivotally connected to said holding bar,said lever having formed therein a notch adapted to be engaged with the cable whereby a braking action is imparted thereto, thus controlling the descent of the escape on said cable.

2. In a fire escape of the character described, a holding bar, a seat bar supported from and beneath the holding bar, a supporting pulley, a descending cable passing over said pulley and attached at opposite ends to the holding bar and seat bar, respectively, and a controlling lever pivoted to the holding bar and adapted to be brought into frictional. engagement with the rope,

whereby the speed of descension may be controlled by the operator.

3. In a re escape of the class described, a holding bar, a seat bar supported from and beneath the holding bar, a supporting pulley mounted near the escape exit of the uilding, a descending cable passing over said pulley and attached at opposite ends to the holding bar and seat bar, respectively, and a controlling lever pivoted to the holding bar and having a cutaway portion adapted to engage the descending cable, whereby the speed of descension may be controlled by the operator.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

CHARLES B. MCKINNEY. litnesses CHARLES C. VINK, HIRAM F. BOWMAN.